


so this is the new year

by orphan_account



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Domestic Fluff, Engagement, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 19:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9137821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “This is nice, right?” Steve asks. It’s just past six and they have a turkey in the oven. Bucky is curled around him and he glances up.“We’re watching Scrooged and eating a cheese ball.” He gestures with his cracker, currently covered in garlic and herb cheese. “What’s not to love?” He eats the cracker and smiles at Steve. They’re both in their pajamas and Bucky’s hair is tied back in a small bun. He looks adorable and Steve pulls him closer, kissing his cheek.“I love you,” he says.“Ditto,” Bucky replies as he swallows the cracker.“And I didn’t get you anything,” Steve adds, wincing at the words. “I’m sorry.” A small part of him expects Bucky to be surprised or offended, but instead Bucky only blinks.AKA Steve didn't get Bucky anything for Christmas and is worried that Bucky had gotten something for him...





	

It’s Christmas Eve and the sales department is having a small holiday party. The office will let out around noon and considering it’s 11:45 at the moment, everybody is not so subtly watching the clock.

Steve finishes a cup of cider while his buddy Sam makes his way through a plate of appetizers.

“This is bullshit,” Sam mutters. He bites a shrimp off at the tail and chews. “My mom and sister are at my place. They’re making cookies with Natasha and she’s been snapchatting me the whole thing. It’s fucking _magical_. I should be there, not here.” He flashes Steve a photo of an immaculately decorated gingerbread man with the caption _I rock at cookies. Now get home, bitch_.

Steve snorts and nods in agreement. “Yeah, this blows. Bucky worked opening and is probably home already.” 

“What’d you get your boy, anyway?” Sam asks. “You never told me.”

“Um.” Frowning, Steve fidgets a little and shrugs. “I didn’t get him anything.”

Sam whistles, low and slow. “You… forgot?” He asks. 

He sounds confused, which… yeah. It would be a little weird for Steve to forget his boyfriend. Partner, actually. They’ve been together for… nine years? Shit. Yeah, nine years—they got together near the end of high school. There have been numerous rough spots but they’re still together today and Steve can’t imagine a life without him.

“It’s not that I forgot,” Steve clarifies. “We agreed to not do gifts this year. I mean, I make shit here and he’s got a lot going on. Things are a little tight. So… it’s cool.” Sam knows their situation; Steve doesn’t have to explain himself. Bucky works two part-time jobs—one at a café and one as a bouncer at a bar on the weekends. He’s also in grad school, getting his masters in mechanical engineering. Meanwhile, Steve spends his days in a cubicle, trying to sell people products they don’t need. 

But they have a nice life together. They’re happy. Their current situation isn’t great, but things will get better. 

“Understandable,” Sam agrees. “But still, why so sulky?”

“I don’t know.” Steve shrugs. “He’s been acting weird. Either he’s up to something or he’s going to dump my sorry ass.” The latter thought makes his heart drop because while the thought has been floating in the back of his mind, he hasn’t actually voiced it out loud.

In the same moment though, Sam laughs. It makes Steve feel better.

“Like Barnes would ever quit that ass,” Sam says. He looks down and cranes his neck so he can appreciate Steve’s ass. Steve is wearing a stupid holiday sweater but the pair of slacks he’d chosen are on the tight side so he’s quick to turn away.

“Dude,” he mutters, cheeks heating.

Sam claps him on the shoulder. “Chill,” he says. “He’s a romantic. I was there when he sent you flowers and that weird, numeric puzzle that turned out to reveal the location of your date.”

Steve smiles at the memory. That had been their seventh anniversary; he knows because the puzzle had brought him to _Seven Eight Nine_ , a restaurant he’d wanted to try. Bucky had had his favorite drink waiting and they’d spent the rest of the evening visiting some of their favorite destinations around the city.

“He’s a sap,” Steve says quietly. He’s _Steve’s_ sap and he wouldn’t have him any other way.

“Exactly.” Sam squeezes his shoulder. “Let him do his thing. Don’t overthink it.”

“Okay.” Steve nods.

“Great.” Sam removes his hand and punches him lightly. “And FYI, it’s 11:57 and we’re the only ones not inching towards the door. Wanna join? I need to get in on this cookie decorating action.”

“Of course.” Steve immediately makes his way towards the door and Sam trails after him.

At noon on the dot, they are out the door.

 

 

* * *

 

 

On Christmas day, Steve makes Bucky his favorite breakfast and they spend most of the day on the couch, watching movies. They Skype with Bucky’s mom and his sisters, all of whom are back in Indiana. Steve wants to save enough to visit them next year. It would mean the world to Bucky, he knows.

Tonight though, it’s just the two of them.

“This is nice, right?” Steve asks. It’s just past six and they have a turkey in the oven. Bucky is curled around him and he glances up.

“We’re watching Scrooged and eating a cheese ball.” He gestures with his cracker, currently covered in garlic and herb cheese. “What’s not to love?” He eats the cracker and smiles at Steve. They’re both in their pajamas and Bucky’s hair is tied back in a small bun. He looks adorable and Steve pulls him closer, kissing his cheek.

“I love you,” he says.

“Ditto,” Bucky replies as he swallows the cracker.

“And I didn’t get you anything,” Steve adds, wincing at the words. “I’m sorry.” A small part of him expects Bucky to be surprised or offended, but instead Bucky only blinks.

“Okay?” He asks, sounding entirely too unconcerned. “I thought we agreed about that.”

“Oh.” Steve pauses. “Good?” He asks.

“What? Did you think I got you something?” Bucky’s smiling now and Steve rolls his eyes.

“Maybe,” he answers honestly. “I didn’t want to be the dick who didn’t get his boyfriend something for Christmas.”

“Meh.” Bucky shrugs. “I’d feel like the dick if _you_ had gotten me something. Although…” He trails off and smiles. “On the topic of dicks… I can wrap a bow around mine if you really want a present.” He quirks his brow and Steve laughs as he kisses him on the lips now.

“Fuck,” he mutters. “I’m glad I snagged you.”

“I don’t think there’s anybody else weird enough to want me,” Bucky murmurs, kissing him back.

“Mm.” Steve hums into the kiss. “On second thought, unwrapping you is all I want for Christmas.”

“You’re such a fucking sap,” Bucky replies. 

Steve laughs. “I said that same thing about you yesterday.”

“I guess we’re a pair.” Bucky smiles up at him and kisses him again. 

“Guess so,” Steve mumbles against his lips. “But I know you love this movie and we still have dinner. Can we hold off for a few?”

“Definitely.” Bucky settles back against him, tucking his head beneath Steve’s chin. On the screen, the Ghost of Christmas Past shows Frank his first meeting with Claire. 

Dinner is amazing when they inevitably fuck later on, that’s amazing too.

 

 

* * *

 

 

On New Year’s Eve, they go to Sam and Natasha’s.

They’re having a small party, nothing big. It’s composed mostly of their friends and Natasha has her Russian vodka, which Bucky appreciates. He’s on his second glass and is pleasantly tipsy, leaning into Steve as they laugh at a joke Natasha tells.

“Hey,” Bucky says, after a beat. “Come with me.”

He pulls Steve toward the patio and Steve follows.

Outside, it’s cold a few flakes of snow have begun to fall. They close the door behind them and Bucky gives Steve a warm hug. It’s nice. Steve hugs him back and laughs a little because after so many years, he always appreciates the smallest shows of affection.

“Are you drunk?” Steve can’t help but ask.

“Not really,” Bucky replies, standing back up. Steve’s seen him drunk enough times to know that he’s relatively clear-headed. 

“Okay.” Steve nods, giving him the sign to carry on.

“I wanted to give you something.” From the pocket of his jeans, Bucky fishes out a gift. A small, square box.

“We said no gifts,” Steve reminds him and Bucky rolls his eyes.

“We said no _Christmas_ gifts,” Bucky clarifies, which. Okay. 

“You suck,” Steve mumbles, toying with the gift. 

“I know.” Again, Bucky nods. “But you’ve known that for years, so, open it.”

Steve does. He unwraps the gift and he sees a small, velvet box. He pops it open and…

“What the fuck.” Steve curses quietly and Bucky rocks back on his heels. He’s smiling, looking pleased. “Shit,” Steve curses again because inside the box is a silver ring, with an intricate, gold design woven throughout. It’s beautiful and… perfect.

“Marry me?” Bucky asks.

“Of course,” Steve answers in a breath.

“And before you ask, Darcy made it for me. You’ve met her. She’s getting her BFA with an emphasis in metalsmithing. She charged me a few cups of coffee and nothing more.” 

“That’s…” A dozen thoughts are rushing through his head at once. “I don’t care,” he settles on because whatever. 

He removes the ring from the box and slides it onto his finger. “This is beautiful.”

“I just thought… I mean, it was New Years Eve, you know? When we first kissed. My mom and pop were fighting all the time and your ma told you to make me happy. So, we ditched ‘em for the night and you kissed me on the corner, beneath a street lamp.”

Steve smiles. “I remember,” he says. “I mean, how could I forget?”

Bucky leans into him and kisses him. “We don’t have to do anything fancy. Something at the courthouse or whatever would be fine.”

“Buck.” Steve squeezes his waist. “We’ll figure it out.”

Inside, their friends begin to chant the countdown. 

_10, 9, 8,_

“I love you,” Bucky says. “So much.”

_7, 6, 5_

“Me too,” Steve replies.

They kiss as fireworks go off over the city and the crowd declares _1_.


End file.
